1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to plant protection. More particularly, the invention concerns protective coverings for shrubs, small trees and other plant specimens.
2. Description of Prior Art
By way of background, plants such as shrubs, young trees, ornamental plants and the like are often exposed during winter months to harsh environmental conditions that can damage and even kill the vegetation. Typical injuries include limb breakage due to snow and ice loads, browning and die-back from frigid desiccating winds, bark girdling and leaf stripping caused by browsing deer, rabbits and mice, and frost damage. To counteract these effects, it is common practice to wrap sensitive species with a burlap covering in the fall, and thereafter remove the cover in the spring. Although this technique represents an effective solution to plant protection, there are several drawbacks, including (1) the need to dispose of the burlap at the end of the season (due to rotting and UV degradation), (2) the difficulty associated with cutting the burlap to size, wrapping the plant, and then securing the covering with string or twine, (3) the care required to avoid wrapping the burlap too tightly or too loosely, the former giving rise to heat generation and desiccation of living foliage, the latter allowing burlap to unravel in high winds or permit foraging deer to pull off the burlap, and (4) the need to wrap exposed trunk areas in order to protect against road salt for plants situated next to roadways and walkways. Burlap plant wrappings, moreover, are not particularly attractive to passersby.
It is to improvements in the area of plant protection that the present invention is directed. In particular, what is needed is a plant protector that overcomes the above-mentioned deficiencies associated with the conventional burlap wrapping technique.